AHPRA Advertising Rules for Chiropractors: What You Can (and Can't) Say

17 August 2026·5 min read

Quick answer: If you're AHPRA-registered, your marketing has to be honest, accurate and free of testimonials about clinical care — no matter how glowing the review is. Stick to your qualifications, your approach and general, well-established info, and avoid guarantees, “cure” language or before/after promises that create unreasonable expectations. A few genuine grey areas exist (progress photos, for one) — when you're unsure, check current AHPRA guidance rather than guess. ✨

Running a chiro clinic means juggling patient care, staff and the actual business of staying open — the last thing you need is a stressful letter from AHPRA because a Facebook post got a bit too enthusiastic. The good news: once you understand the handful of principles behind the advertising rules, checking your own content becomes second nature. You don't need a law degree, just a quick filter to run every post through before it goes live. That's what this one's for 💖

First, what most chiro clinics get wrong about advertising compliance

Treating “case study” as a rebrand for testimonial — the label changes, but a patient's personal account of their outcome doesn't stop being one.
Assuming a disclaimer fixes things — “results may vary” doesn't rescue a claim that was misleading to begin with.
Reposting glowing reviews about treatment results, assuming public reviews are somehow exempt from the rules.
Using before-and-after photos as proof of a guaranteed outcome, rather than as general, educational content.
Assuming “everyone on Instagram does it” means it's compliant — plenty of clinics are carrying risk they don't know about.

The “before you hit publish” checklist — copy this into your content workflow:

Does this include a patient's words, story or before/after account of their care? If yes, it's a testimonial — don't publish it.
Could someone reading this expect a specific result, cure or timeframe for their own condition? If yes, soften the wording.
Have I used words like “guaranteed,” “fixes,” “cures” or “permanently resolves”? If yes, cut them.
Does this compare us to another provider in a way that could mislead? If yes, remove the comparison.
Is there a discount or referral offer involved, and have I clearly stated the terms? If no, add them.
Are all claims about qualifications, registration or specialisation accurate and current? If no, fix that first.
If a patient photo's involved, do I have specific, informed consent for this exact use — and does it avoid implying a guaranteed result? If unsure, hold off.
Would I be comfortable if AHPRA reviewed this post today? If no, don't hit publish yet.

Three real examples

Solo chiropractor, Facebook “success story” post: Risky — “Amazing result today! Sarah came in barely able to walk and after three sessions she's pain-free and back at the gym. Book now and get your life back.” Compliant — “One of the best parts of this work is helping people get back to what they love. If pain's been holding you back, book a consult and we'll talk through what's possible for you.”

Multi-practitioner clinic, new website copy: Risky — “Our team has helped hundreds of patients eliminate chronic back pain for good,” paired with a testimonial carousel. Compliant — “Our team is AHPRA-registered, with practitioners specialising in different areas of chiropractic care. We build evidence-based treatment plans tailored to you — get in touch to find out how we can help.”

Clinic running a referral promotion: Risky — “Refer a friend and you'll BOTH get pain-free faster! $50 off your next adjustment.” Compliant — “Refer a friend and you'll both receive $50 off your next visit. Terms: new patients only, one redemption per referral, not combinable with other offers.”

How to actually self-check your content

You don't need to memorise legislation to stay compliant — you need to ask the right questions every time you post. The core principles are consistent: no testimonials about clinical services, nothing false, misleading or deceptive, nothing that creates unreasonable expectations of benefit, clear terms on any offer, and accuracy about your qualifications and registration. Almost every risky post breaks one of those five things. Read your draft back and ask which box it might be ticking — that's usually enough to catch it before it goes live.

💡 Heads up: A glowing review about your friendly front desk or how easy it was to book in is usually fine to share. The line sits around clinical outcomes — if a review says “my back pain is finally gone,” that's the part you can't repost as marketing, even though the patient wrote it themselves.

Mistakes to avoid

Sharing patient reviews about clinical outcomes on your own channels, even if the patient posted it publicly first.
Assuming an unnamed “case study” is automatically safe — if it still reads as one patient's personal result, it's a testimonial in disguise.
Running before-and-after photos without a genuine educational purpose or without specific, informed consent.
Sending out a discount or referral offer without clear terms — no fine print usually means no compliance.

Frequently asked questions

Please note: general information, not legal advice — check current official guidance before relying on it.

Can I ever write about a patient's experience?

You can write general, de-identified case studies about your clinical approach and reasoning — without it becoming one patient's personal account of their result. The moment it reads as their story, it's a testimonial. We've got a full guide on this linked below.

What about before-and-after photos?

Honestly, this is a genuine grey area. Photos used purely for education, without implying a guaranteed or typical outcome, carry less risk than photos framed as proof of results — but it really depends on how the image reads. Worth checking current AHPRA guidance before building a campaign around them.

Does adding “results may vary” fix a risky claim?

No. A disclaimer doesn't rescue a claim that's misleading or that creates unreasonable expectations — it just sits under the same problem. Fix the claim itself, not the fine print.

What actually happens if I get this wrong?

Advertising that breaches the rules can be the subject of a complaint or investigation, with outcomes depending on the situation — so it's worth building good habits, not losing sleep. Most clinics that slip up weren't being reckless, they just hadn't thought about where the line sits.

Please note: general information, not legal advice — check current official guidance before relying on it.